Pendant (Jkumka), One of a Pair

The bell-shaped form of these jewels is known as jhumka. Typically, these are found on ear ornaments, and the loop at top indicates how they originally would have been attached to a chain or a hook. The jewels would have been suspended near the ears of the wearer, and the dangling bead pendants at the bottom would have made a soft noise as the wearer moved.


This ornament was formerly in the collection of American artist and designer Lockwood de Forest (1850–1932) who purchased many jeweled objects while traveling in India between 1879–1881. He collected many different examples of jewelry from India, including several of the same type. Today, his assemblage in the Met serves as a near-comprehensive study collection of Indian jewelry from the late nineteenth century.